• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.211-228
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• 2003

Most environmental impact assessment(EIA) programs around the world require the consideration of human health impacts. Yet relatively few EIA documents adequately address those impacts. This article examines how, why, and to what extent health impacts are analyzed in environmental impact assessments. This article investigates these problems and provides recommendations to improve human health impact assessment(HIA), using methods, procedures and case study. Also, a comprehensive approach for the evaluation of possible health effects in an EIA is described, illustrated with the example of Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. Unlike many EIAs, we estimated quantitatively the impact of aircraft-related pollution in terms of the number of affected people for aircraft noise annoyance, odour annoyance and hypertension. In addition, an analysis of health registry data on cardiovascular and respiratory diseases and a short survey on annoyance and risk perception were carried out.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.261-271
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• 2021

Background: In 2018, the government increased the fee for the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) image deciphering services of the external hospital to discourage the redundant MRI scan and to induce appropriate use of the MRI services. It is important to evaluate the effect of the policy to provide the basis for establishing other MRI-related policies. Methods: The healthcare data of the patients who had brain MRI scans were organized by episode and analyzed using the panel study in order to find out the effect of the MRI-related policy on the substitution effect and the medical expenses. Results: As a result of the increase in the fee of deciphering the MRI image, there has been an uplift in deciphering the MRI scan of the external hospital. It implies that more hospitals chose to use the MRI scan taken by other clinics or hospitals, rather than the MRI scan taken at their own facilities. Conclusion: The research results imply that a policy that facilitates the exchange of the medical image data between the hospitals is needed in order to establish an efficient management system of the healthcare resources. Such improvement is expected to reduce the social cost and contribute to the stability in the finance of national health insurance.

• Journal of the Korean Medical Association
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• v.61 no.11
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• pp.687-698
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• 2018

Inappropriate antibiotic use significantly contributes to antibiotic resistance, resulting in reduced antibiotic efficacy and an increased burden of disease. The objective of this study was to investigate the characteristics of prescribers whose antibiotics use was high and to explore factors affecting the use of antibiotics by medical institutions. This study analyzed the National Health Insurance claims data from 2015. Antibiotic prescription data were analyzed in terms of the number of defined daily doses per 1,000 patients per day, according to the World Health Organization anatomical-therapeutic-chemical classification and methodologies for measuring the defined daily dose. We investigated the characteristics of prescribers and medical institutions with high antibiotic use. Multivariate regression analyses were performed on the basis of characteristics of the medical institution (number of patients, type of medical institution [hospital or clinic], age of the physician, etc.). The number of patients and number of beds were found to be significant factors affecting antibiotic use in hospitals, and the number of patients, region, and medical department were significant factors affecting antibiotic use at the level of medical institutions. These findings are expected to help policy-makers to better target future interventions to promote prudent antibiotic prescription.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.241-256
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• 2018

Objectives: This study aimed to review the characteristics of three-dimensional printing technology focusing on printing types, materials, and health hazards. We discussed the methodologies for exposure assessment on hazardous substances emitted from 3D printing through article reviews. Methods: Previous researches on 3D printing technology and exposure assessment were collected through a literature review of public reports and research articles reported up to July 2018. We mainly focused on introducing the technologies, printing materials, hazardous emissions during 3D printing, and the methodologies for evaluation. Results: 3D printing technologies can be categorized by laminating type. Fused deposition modeling(FDM) is the most widely used, and most studies have conducted exposure assessment using this type. The printing materials involved were diverse, including plastic polymer, metal, resin, and more. In the FDM types, the most commonly used material was polymers, such as acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene(ABS) and polylactic acids(PLA). These materials are operated under high-temperature conditions, so high levels of ultrafine particles(mainly nanoparticle size) and chemical compounds such as organic compounds, aldehydes, and toxic gases were identified as being emitted during 3D printing. Conclusions: Personal desktop 3D printers are widely used and expected to be constantly distributed in the future. In particular, hazardous emissions, including nano sized particles and various thermal byproducts, can be released under operation at high temperatures, so it is important to identify the health effects by emissions from 3D printing. Furthermore, appropriate control strategies should be also considered for 3D printing technology.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.543-549
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• 2020

Background: The working conditions of bus drivers are difficult; they lead to occupational diseases and require careful study, particularly in Ukraine. The objective of the article is the description of occupational health risks of passenger bus drivers that lead to deteriorating health. Methods: The risk assessment was performed using a modified Risk Score method, which allowed determining the generalized level of danger to the driver's health. The hygienic hazards level was assessed as based on Stevenson's law, which was generalized later. Results: Based on the modification of the Risk Score method, it was possible to depart from expert assessments method of the risk level and calculate the general indicator based on the degree of dependence of the impact on the human body on its intensity, proposed by V. Minko. This allows objective determining of the impact of hygiene hazards on the health of the driver and to predict the occurrence of occupational diseases associated with the cardiovascular system, musculoskeletal system, and partial or complete disability due to the accumulation of emotional fatigue. The hazard assessment was carried out for three brands of passenger buses common in Ukraine, in which the driver is exposed to the dangers of fever, vibration, noise, harmful impurities in the bus cabin, and emotional load. Conclusion: The health of drivers in the cabins of passenger buses is most affected by hygiene hazards: fever, vibration, and emotional stress. The generalized level of risk is calculated by the modified method of Risk Score is 0.83; -0.99, -0.92 respectively.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.1001-1010
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• 2001

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.1089-1096
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• 2000

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.131-137
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• 2022

Public interest has been increasing the focus on the management of exposure to pollutants and the related health effects. This study reviewed exposure assessment methodologies and addressed future directions. Exposure can be assessed by direct (exposure monitoring) or indirect approaches (exposure modelling). Exposure modelling is a cost-effective tool to assess exposure among individuals, but direct personal monitoring provides more accurate exposure data. There are several population exposure models: stochastic human exposure and dose simulation (SHEDS), air pollutants exposure (APEX), and air pollution exposure distributions within adult urban population in Europe (EXPOLIS). A South Korean population exposure model is needed since the resolution of ambient concentrations and time-activity patterns are country specific. Population exposure models could be useful to find the association between exposure to pollutants and adverse health effects in epidemiologic studies. With the advancement of sensor technology and the internet of things (IoT), exposure assessment could be applied in a real-time surveillance system. In the future, environmental health services will be useful to protect and promote human health from exposure to pollutants.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.30 no.sup
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• pp.2.1-2.11
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• 2015

Objectives This study presents a methodology that enables a quantitative assessment of green chemistry technologies. Methods The study carries out a quantitative evaluation of a particular case of material reutilization by calculating the level of "greenness" i.e., the level of compliance with the principles of green chemistry that was achieved by implementing a green chemistry technology. Results The results indicate that the greenness level was enhanced by 42% compared to the pre-improvement level, thus demonstrating the economic feasibility of green chemistry. Conclusions The assessment technique established in this study will serve as a useful reference for setting the direction of industry-level and government-level technological R&D and for evaluating newly developed technologies, which can greatly contribute toward gaining a competitive advantage in the global market.

• International Journal of Advanced Culture Technology
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.124-130
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• 2018

Proper management and prevention of dysphagia are urgently needed in acute care of stroke patients in Korea. However, no highly sensitive and accessible nurse-led screening tools have been validated within the Korean settings. The purpose of this study was to validate a screening tool led by nurses to identify dysphagia and aspiration risks among acute stroke patients. Registered nurses (RNs) screened 131 residents from a university hospital in South Korea using the Korean version of the Standardized Swallowing Assessment (K-SSA). Results were validated against those from the Gugging Swallowing Screen (GUSS). Compared to results from the GUSS, with 9- and 14-point cutoffs, the K-SSA had a sensitivity of 0.80 and specificity of 0.90 [95% CI 0.806, 0.992] for screening dysphagia and 1.00 sensitivity and 0.94 specificity [95% CI 0.862, 1.000] for screening aspiration risks. The K-SSA demonstrated excellent sensitivity and specificity for screening individuals at risk of dysphagia and aspiration when led by RNs for acute stroke patients.